The World's End | ONC 2024 ✔

ੈ✩‧₊˚ |𝟭𝟱| 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻

Keira

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

I never believed in magic. Reality, on the other hand, was understandable, and it was so much easier to comprehend. It was unlike anything that I read in fantasy books, ones that transported me to a different universe. I wished that the magic was real—that it was enough to magic me away to a better world.

Our discoveries and theories were hypothetical; that was it. There was nothing concrete about what we knew apart from the fact that Caity, Cyprus, and Vancouver were mysteries holding one key to the answer.

"Does your mom usually leave you at home like this for meetings?" Wylan asked Axelle, who was trying to stop Alissa from running away.

"No. This is the first time. She never left for longer periods."

"Why did she leave then?" I questioned, deep in thought. If Axelle's mother had to leave her home alone with a four-year-old for an important meeting, there had to be something serious going on.

"I'm not sure," she replied, her voice slightly broken, "She said she was going to a meeting."

We had to ask Wylan's dad about Madame Henderson's life as a college student. If he was friends with Kaz Henderson when they were young...there was a huge possibility that there was a solid reason he didn't trust Madame Henderson at all.

Our voices were low, the air was clear but thick almost like it was trying to suffocate us. It was the same feeling that I had when we were at the institution, trying to find Miles.

A knock on the front door startled us, causing us to fall into an uneasy silence again. I grabbed Wylan's hand and raced upstairs to Alissa's room where Wylan's father was resting. He was sick, and the air in this house was doing some good to him at least. On the way, I stopped at Miles' room for a brief moment only to find him fast asleep.

He seemed to be doing alright.

Wylan and I settled in the room, our feet spread out on the floor as we cautiously prepared ourselves to hide in case Madame Henderson stormed into this room. That was probably very very unlikely to occur. Madame Henderson never stepped foot in Alissa's room.

So, it was almost surprising to me when the door burst open and I recognized the cold, calculating gaze of the Major Verid, causing my heart to sink. He sneered at us, his lips curling into a cruel smile. One of the Verids at the back had Axelle's hands tied and held on. The Major had a thick bandage to his head which I presumed was from when Wylan hit the Major with his own bat.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he said, his voice dripping with malice. "A little gathering of rebels, plotting against Veridonia."

There was something about this man that made me furious. I stood up ignoring Wylan's pull at my sleeve. "We're not plotting against anyone. Why would you think we were plotting against Veridonia? Do you know something?" I asked, my voice steady despite the fear that was coursing through my veins like a poison.

Major Verid laughed, the sound grating on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. "Oh, I never said you were," he said, mocking. "We're just here for a little cup of tea and to take care of Axelle here because her mother was worried about her being alone."

I exchanged a worried glance with Axelle and the others, knowing that we were completely at their mercy this time. We had nowhere to run. Major Verid and his followers outnumbered us massively, and there was no way we could fight our way out of this.

Wylan's father, who was disturbed by the sounds inside the room, shifted and called for his son.

"Wylan, is everything alright son?"